Law And Ordure Prevail In Detroit

July 22, 1986|By United Press International.

A Detroit judge refused Monday to order 7,000 striking municipal workers back to work as thousands of tons of garbage filled the city`s streets, while Pittsburgh officials held last-minute negotiations to avert a midnight strike by trash collectors.

In Philadelphia, returning strikers cleaned up after a 20-day walkout.

In Pittsburgh, a strike by 300 unionized garbage collectors was averted late Monday when the city and Teamsters Local 609 agreed to continue negotiations while extending for the 10th time the current contract, which expired Dec. 31.

The latest of nine contract extensions over a seven-month period had been scheduled to expire at midnight Monday.

The key issue apparently is the city`s recommendation to cut work crews from three to two. The workers already have accepted a salary freeze.

In Detroit, Wayne County Circuit Judge Sharon Finch denied the city`s request for an injunction ordering all essential employees back to work, and city attorneys then began preparing an appeal to Finch`s ruling issued Friday that municipal employee strikes are not illegal. The appeal was to be filed Tuesday with the Michigan Court of Appeals.

About 7,000 members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 25 walked out Wednesday. An additional 5,000 workers, including bus drivers and trash haulers, are honoring their picket lines.

Negotiations broke off early Monday morning after a 17-hour session.

Detroiters, meanwhile, lugged their own garbage to six city-operated dumps, and 200,000 daily bus riders found other ways to get to work and school. An estimated 13,000 tons of garbage had piled up.

Detroit Elections Director Ed Wilson said he would ask Gov. James J. Blanchard to send in the National Guard this week to protect replacement workers who may be hired to help prepare for the Aug. 5 primary election.

Forty-six Water Department chemists and microbiologists who voted Sunday night not to cross AFSCME picket lines agreed to return to work Monday after the city promised they would be taken to work in police cars.

In Philadelphia, blue-collar city employees returned to work without a contract Monday and began restoring municipal services that had been halted or limited during the strike.

During the walkout, which began July 1, many city swimming pools, museums and libraries were closed, while administrative services at city offices were disrupted. Officials said most activities would be near normal Tuesday.

Sanitation workers were on the job for a third day, hauling the 45,000 tons of garbage that had piled up.